Rail-joint.



W. S. DODSON.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. a, 1911.

1,030,842. Patented June 25, 1912.

v NITED srn rns PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAMS. DQDSON,=0F SPRINGFIELD, MISSOUR'L ASSIGNOR ,TD HUMASON RAIL JOINT GOIVLPANEYQA GORPORATIQN OF "LOUISIANA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une25, 19-12.

Application fi1ed September 8,-1911. Serial No. 648 386.

Toall whom (it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. DODSON, citizen of the United States, residing at.

Springfield, in the county of Greene and State of Mlssourl, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Ball- Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relationto rail joints,

snugly received in the recesses in the rails. The other member 1s provided at a point intermediate its ends with an exserted portion which is provided upon its inner face with a recess adapted to receive the end of the said lug. Three bolts only are employed for holding the parts of the rail joint in position at the ends of the rails. Two of these bolts are located, one in the vicinity of each end of the joint and they pass through the respective rails, while the other bolt is located between the ends of the rails and passes through the members of the joint at the lug upon one member and the eXserted portion of the other member.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of track rails with the joint applied; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of adjacent ends of rails separated; and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the joint.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indi cated in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

The rail joint consists in providing at the adjacent ends of track rails, semi-elliptical recesses 1 which register with each other and which form approximately an ellipse. These recesses are located at the same distance from the tread portions of the heads of the rails. An inner member 2 fits snugly against the inner sides of the adjacent ends of the rails and bears at its upper edge against the .under sides of the heads of the rails and at its lower portion bears against and around the flanges of the rails. This member is provided upon its inner side with a lug 3 which is elliptical in side elevation and which fits snugly in the recesses 1 at the ends of the rails and projects to some eX-' tent beyond the outer sides of the webs of the rails.

An outer member 4 fits snugly against the outer sides of the rails with its upper edge in contact with the under sides ofthe heads of the rails and its lower portion extending upon and around theflanges of'the rails. The member 4, is provided at a section intermediate its ends with an exserted portion 5 which is provided upon its inner side with an elliptical recess 6 which snugly receives that portion of the lug 3 which projects beyond the outer sides of the webs" ofthe rails.

A. bolt 7 is passed transversely through the members 2 and 4 at the middle of the lug 8 upon the member 2 and at the middle of the exserted portion 5 of the member ft. The openings in the said members through which the said bolt passes snugly receive the same. The rails are provided at points between the members 2 and 4 and at equal distances from the opposite ends thereof with elongated bolt openings 8, v

the long dimensions of which extend longitudinally of the rails. Securing bolts 9 pass transversely through the end portions of the members 2 and 4 and through the said openings 8. The bolts 9 are at the same level in a direction longitudinally of the rails, while the bolt 7 is located at a lower level in the same direction.

By providing a joint as described it will be seen that suflicient space is provided around the bolts 9 to permit the rails to contract or expand and at the same time the members 2 and ,4 are securely held together at the ends of the rails and the said members together with the lug hold the tread portions of the heads of the rails positively in alinement, thereby preventing pounding as rolling stock passes over the joint. Also the parts are so arranged that the members 2 and t may be made light or of a minimum amount of material and at the same time they are strong and durable. The exserted portion 5 of the member t distributes the material of which the said member is conip'osed about the recess 6 in such a manner that the presence of this recess does not weaken the said member and at the same. time the presence of the exserted portion, by reason of the said recess, does not add weight to this'member.

Having thus described the what is claimed as new is:

1. In combination with rails having registering recesses at their adjacent ends, a rail joint comprising inner and outer members which fit snugly against the opposite sides of the rails between the lower sides of the heads and the flanges thereof, the inner member having a lug which fits snugly in the said recesses and which projects beyond the outer sides of the webs of the rails, the outer member having at a position between its ends an exserted portion provided upon its inner side with a recess which snugly receives that portion of the lug which projects beyond the outer sides of the webs of the rails, a bolt passing through the members at the lug of the inner member and the exserted portion of the outer member, and bolts passing through the members and the rails at the opposite end portions of the members and at equal distances from the ends of the members.

invention,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

2. Incombination with'rails having registering recesses at their adjacent ends, a rail jointcomprising inner and outer members which fit snugly against the opposite sides of the rails between the lower sides of the heads and the flanges thereof, the inner member having a lug which fits snugly in the said recesses and which projects beyond the outer sides of the webs of the rails, the outer member having at a position between its ends an exserted portionprovided upon its inner side with a recess which snugly receives that portion of the lug which projects beyond the outer sides ofthe' webs of the rails, a bolt passing through the members at the lug of the inner member and the eXserted portion of the outer member, and bolts passing through the members and the rails at the opposite end portions of the members and 'at equal distances from the ends of the members, the bolts at the end portions of the members bein at a higher level in a direction longitudinally of the rails than the bolt which passes through the intermediate portions of the members.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signa ture in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM S. DODSON. [L. s.] \Vitnesses p F. J. DODSON, W. C. MOORE. 

